The Making of a Caretaker
by closeto30
Summary: Another spinoff/prequel to my 'Warehouse 15' franchise - Claudia takes control of the newly established Warehouse 15, but a chance revelation throws a new spin on Claudia and Steve's relationship. Finally a Clinks piece from me. Rated T for now (for adult themes).
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome to yet another prequel/spinoff of my 'Warehouse 15' world. Claudia and Jinksy... yay!**_

 _ **The rating on this will change after a few chapters... you'll understand why when you get there :P**_

* * *

There was an overexcited redhead jumping on his bed. Steve cracked one eyelid open at the commotion, but otherwise stayed completely still.

"Today's the day!" the redhead cried, bouncing up and down again. "Today's the day! Time to get up! Wake up, wake up, way – oof!"

Steve realised that he'd made an error in judgement only after he suddenly lunged forward and tackled the girl on his bed to his side.

"Hey Steve," Claudia gasped out breathlessly, not attempting to fight her way out of his hold.

"Jeez, Claud, I thought you were Bailey," Steve told her, sleepily pressing his nose into Claudia's neck.

"Please," Claudia scoffed with a laugh. "That kid wishes she was as cute as me."

Steve chuckled and kissed Claudia's shoulder before letting her go. Claudia wiggled to the end of the bed and crossed her legs as she watched Steve maneuver his body into a sitting position. When he stretched his arms over his head, Claudia took the time to admire Steve's toned chest and abdomen. Her cheeks warmed as her eyes traced the tattoo etched on Steve's chest. Bailey's name appeared in a scrawling cursive script, entwined at the last letter with the first letter of another name. Hers. Steve carried his family close to his heart every day.

"Where is our daughter anyway?" Steve asked, rubbing a hand over his closely shaven head.

"I gave her a bowl of cereal and put Meet the Robinsons on," Claudia told him. "Kid loves that movie. I think it's the gadgets."

"I think I'm going to have a hard time convincing Bailey not to be exactly like you," Steve mumbled, but there was a smirk on his face. Claudia matched his expression, and Steve shook his head at her ruefully.

"What's up, Claud?" he asked gently, and Claudia chewed on her lower lip.

"I need your help," she admitted softly. Steve cocked his head to the side in a concerned manner.

"Is everything ok?" he inquired. Claudia blew out a frustrated breath.

"I don't know what to wear."

Steve stared at her for a moment, ice-blue eyes wide, and then started to chuckle.

"Are you for real?"

Claudia threw a pillow at him.

"Steve, I'm serious!" she whined. "This is a big day for me."

"You are such a girl," Steve teased as he pushed back his covers and swung his pyjama-pant clad legs out of the bed. Claudia narrowed her eyes at him.

"You are quite possibly the worst BFF in the world," she sneered. Steve gave her a bemused look before removing a t-shirt from his dresser and pulling it over his head.

"Why does it matter what you wear?" he asked. Claudia rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated growl.

"Steve, I'm becoming a Caretaker today!" she cried. "The Caretaker! This is going to be my Warehouse. What I wear is going to be my signature for a very long time. I don't want to get it wrong."

"I really don't think there's a wrong option here," Steve said bluntly. Claudia growled again and flopped back on the bed.

"Steve!" she whined pathetically. "Can you just for once be a good gay and help me?"

Steve walked back over to his bed and pulled Claudia to her feet. He ran a hand over her hair and tucked it behind her ear. Claudia looked up at him with a pitiful expression. Steve rolled his eyes.

"We're not going to find your signature wardrobe in my bedroom," he said to her, watching as a smile spread slowly across her face. He slipped a hand into hers and gave her fingers a squeeze.

"Show me what our options are," he said to her gently. Claudia gripped his hand and dragged him from the room.

* * *

Four-year-old Bailey Donovan-Jinks looked away from her cartoon as her parents descended the stairs of their still new home, and cracked a huge smile.

"Whoa, Mommy!" she cried appreciatively, scrambling to her feet. Claudia blushed as a proud smile spread across her face.

"You like what you see, Bailey-Bear?" she asked, and Bailey nodded enthusiastically before she glanced at her father.

"Can I dress like Mommy?" she asked Steve earnestly. Steve glanced at Claudia's outfit and winked at his daughter.

"I think we can figure something out," he told her, and Bailey's grin grew wider as she scooted between her parents and thundered up the stairs towards her room. Steve followed after her with a bemused chuckle. Claudia headed towards the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast for her and Steve, but got distracted by the mirror in the hallway. It had taken a good long pep talk from Steve, but he had finally convinced her to stay true to herself. She now wore her classic Claudia Donovan uniform; black and blue Converse hightops matched to well-worn skinny jeans, and a black tank top under a fitted purple blazer. There were buttons decorating her lapels, and black nail polish on her fingernails. Claudia had picked out all of her favourite chunky silver jewellery, from the rings on her fingers all the way to the cuff at the top of her ear. The final piece had fallen into place when Steve had found her supply of temporary hair colours. Claudia gently fingered the bright blue streak in her hair as she grinned to herself. This day meant everything to her, but if she were to be completely honest, none of it would mean half as much if she didn't have Steve and Bailey with her. Being Caretaker was one thing, but having her family by her side was what was going to make Warehouse 15 Claudia's home.


	2. Chapter 2

The Donovan-Jinks family unit stood at the bottom of the stairs to the Smithsonian Museum, quietly taking in the large historic building. Bailey tugged on her father's hand.

"Daddy, are we going to see the dinosaurs?" she asked inquisitively.

"Not today, child," a familiar husky voice answered from behind the trio, and they all whipped their heads around. A grin split Bailey's face.

"Hi Mrs Frederic," she said shyly, leaning against Steve's leg. The dark-skinned older lady gave the little girl a warm smile.

"Hello, my dear," she said before looking up at Bailey's parents. "Are we all ready to go?"

Claudia let out a shaky breath before nodding. Steve reached down and hitched Bailey up to ride on his hip as they climbed the stairs to the museum entrance. Mrs Frederic spoke authoritatively to the guards walking people through the metal detectors, and their small party was allowed access through to the head of the line. Steve was pleased to see that the museum was still popular with the mass public. Claudia toyed nervously with the chunky pendant around her neck as her family followed Mrs Frederic through the museum corridors until they came to a utility door. Steve lowered Bailey to the floor as Mrs Frederic held out plastic security cards.

"You'll need these," she said to Claudia and Steve, and then rifled around in her pocket for a moment before holding a hand out to Bailey.

"You too, young lady," she said in a soft tone that indicated great fondness for the little girl. Bailey's eyes were as wide as saucers as she tentatively took her personalised card from Mrs Frederic. Claudia gave her mentor an appreciative look.

"That's very thoughtful," she said by way of a thank you. Mrs Frederic gave Claudia a knowing look, and then indicated that she should use her card to swipe the door open.

"Stay close," Steve warned his daughter, and Bailey nodded earnestly as they stepped through the door and out of sight of the public. The Smithsonian basement was a maze of historical items that could have distracted them all for hours, but Mrs Frederic led the way to another utility door set into the back wall. This time, the family was presented with a set of small discs that Mrs Frederic demonstrated the use of.

"Now that is cool," Claudia commented as the holographic screen flickered to life, and then jumped in surprise as a monotonous tone identified her.

"Your voices have all been preloaded into the system," Mrs Frederic said with an amused smirk. Bailey's eyes lit up as the door slid open and revealed an elevator car.

"Cool!" she exclaimed, darting into the elevator before either of her parents had the chance to stop her.

"Bailey!" Steve barked out, but recoiled slightly as Mrs Frederic shot him a look.

"Do you honestly think I would put your child in danger, Agent Jinks?" she asked flatly, stepping into the elevator car.

"Be cool, Steve," Claudia quipped. Steve was about to retort when he caught Claudia's eye and realised that her teasing was just a cover for the nerves bubbling under her skin. He reached out and tucked an arm around her shoulders as they joined Bailey and Mrs Frederic in the elevator. Mrs Frederic gently took Bailey's hand.

"Like this, young lady," she murmured, guiding Bailey's finger over a series of buttons. Bailey giggled, and Claudia felt a surge of motherly pride flow through her. The elevator began its descent, and Bailey moved back to her mother's side. Steve had helped her pick out a miniature version of Claudia's outfit; pink Converse, denim jeans, and a purple hoodie zipped up over a Hello Kitty tank top. Steve wished he'd thought to take a picture of how cute they looked together. Bailey looked up at Steve as the elevator slid to a smooth halt and the doors opened.

"Stay close, right?" she grinned, and Steve rolled his eyes as he took his daughter's outstretched hand. He let Claudia, whom he knew was still fighting her nerves due to the fact that she'd barely said a word, follow Mrs Frederic out of the doorway first before he and Bailey brought up the rear. They stepped into a low lit corridor decorated in slate gray and silver. It was all very modern and streamlined.

"I'm sorry, are we going to a spa?" Claudia asked snarkily.

"Warehouse 15 has been created by the leading architects and designers of this generation," Mrs Frederic stated, ignoring Claudia's sarcastic tone. Claudia grunted and glanced at Steve.

"We're so redecorating," she murmured under her breath, and Steve tried to hold back his smirk as they rounded a corner and entered a large office full of shiny new equipment. A trio of Regents occupied a grey suede couch.

"Nana Jane!" Bailey cried excitedly, letting go of Steve's hand and dashing across the room to fling herself at an older woman who was clearly delighted to see the little girl. Jane Lattimer wrapped her arms around Bailey and kissed her face.

"You got so big!" Jane enthused, smoothing down Bailey's hair.

"I missed you," Bailey told her, settling into Jane's lap. Adwin Kosan rose from the couch and approached Claudia and Steve.

"Ms Donovan, Agent Jinks," he greeted them, shaking both of their hands. "Welcome. Good to see you both again."

"Good to see you," Claudia said with a smile, glancing over Kosan's shoulder. "Hi Abigail."

Abigail Cho got to her feet and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Hello Claudia," she said warmly.

"Did you get a promotion?" Steve enquired, and Abigail nodded.

"I'll be performing the ceremony today," she told them, and Claudia raised her eyebrows at Mrs Frederic.

"I'm part of the ceremony," Mrs Frederic said dryly. "I can't be expected to perform it and participate."

Steve was trying not to smirk again. Claudia punched him in the arm.

"May I suggest a short tour?" Kosan spoke up. "Warehouse 15 is just beyond those doors. I'm sure you'd like to see your new home."

Claudia glanced over at Bailey, who was giggling as Jane tickled her neck. Jane looked up and caught Claudia's eye.

"She can stay with me," Jane said with a kind smile. "I don't mind at all."

Claudia felt a pang of sadness in her gut as she wondered when Jane had last been permitted to see her own grandchildren. She let out a shaky breath and plastered a smile on her face.

"Let's go meet Warehouse 15," she said perkily to Kosan, making to follow him and Mrs Frederic through the double sliding doors. She'd barely taken a step forward when she felt Steve slide his hand into hers, and just like that, Claudia felt her nerves began to melt away.

* * *

"And that, is that," Abigail stated gently as she unwound a length of sea foam green ribbon that had been wrapped around the wrists of Claudia and Mrs Frederic. Claudia flexed her hand tentatively as a slight pout formed on her face.

"I don't feel any different," she said, looking around the room at the expectant faces staring back at her. Mrs Frederic hummed softly.

"It will come on slowly, just as it will slowly ebb away from me," she said with a gentle smile. "Your bond with the Warehouse has been in formation for a while, Ms Donovan, which is why you don't feel anything right at this moment. But over time, your connection will feel more whole."

"And you'll feel less... whole?" Claudia questioned. Mrs Frederic settled herself into a nearby chair.

"My life cycle will return to normal," she told Claudia. "My link to the Warehouse will dissolve, and I will age, and within a few years..."

"You'll be gone," Steve finished softly, stepping up behind Claudia and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Claudia let out a shaky breath as tears formed in her eyes.

"Mrs F," she whispered sadly. Mrs Frederic gave her a firm look.

"This is the cycle of the Warehouse Caretaker, Claudia," she stated. "I have lived a long and full life. My passing will be a time for commemoration, not sadness."

Claudia bit her lower lip and leaned back against Steve's chest.

"I believe today is rather a momentous occasion in itself," Kosan said, clasping his hands together. "I am unaware of another instance where three Caretakers have been present in a Warehouse together at the same time."

"Wait, three?" Claudia frowned. "There's me, and Mrs F, and," she paused to scan the room with her eyes, and exhaled with sudden realisation.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Steve asked, following Claudia's gaze. Claudia felt Steve's grasp on her tighten as he joined her in looking at Bailey, who was occupied with a colouring book, blissfully unaware that she was being talked about.

"No!" Steve snapped, letting go of Claudia and stepping towards Kosan. "No!"

"Agent Jinks, this is not a choice I have made," Kosan said firmly, standing his ground as Steve came closer. "The Warehouse..."

"I don't care about the Warehouse and its choices!" Steve barked. "That is my daughter, and I am saying no!"

"Steve," Abigail tried, and Steve whipped around to face her, his face thunderous.

"Abigail, I swear, if you even try to use some sort of psychoanalysis on me," he growled.

"Agent Jinks, I would advise calming yourself," Mrs Frederic spoke from where she sat.

"I am not going to calm myself!" Steve shouted. "You can't have her, do you understand me? The Warehouse will have to choose someone else, because it will be over my dead body before she..."

"Steve!" Claudia bellowed, cutting her partner off. Steve's head snapped towards her in dumbfounded shock. Claudia looked distressed.

"You are scaring my child," she spat out, tears evident in her eyes. Steve glanced over at Bailey, who, evidently upset by the sudden commotion, had climbed into Jane's lap and buried her head in the older woman's shoulder. His heart shattered.

"Claud," he murmured pleadingly.

"You have singlehandedly ruined this day," Claudia said thinly. "I think you should leave."

Steve started to stutter, but Claudia folded her arms across her chest and set her mouth in a thin line. A pathetic look crossed Steve's face as he met the eyes of the Regents watching the exchange.

"I don't know how to get out of here," he admitted in defeat. Abigail took pity on him.

"I'll show you," she said gently, stepping towards the door. Steve shot a glance at Claudia, who studiously avoided his eyes. Sighing, Steve hung his head and followed Abigail out of the room. Chewing on her lower lip, Claudia sank down onto the couch next to Jane and lifted Bailey from Jane's lap into her own. She pressed her nose into her child's hair and inhaled deeply. Jane placed a hand on Claudia's shoulder in a reassuring manner. Claudia looked up at Jane, Mrs Frederic, and Kosan.

"I know it's not really my place to ask, but do you think I could just be left alone with my daughter for a while?" she asked softly.

"Of course," Kosan acknowledged, offering a hand to Mrs Frederic to help her to her feet. Claudia gave them a grateful smile as they left the office. Bailey lifted her head to look Claudia in the eye.

"Why was Daddy mad?" she asked tentatively. Claudia brushed Bailey's bangs out of her eyes.

"Because Daddy's a poopypants," she quipped, but her voice wavered. Bailey's face twitched with uncertainty. Claudia kissed Bailey's forehead.

"Bailey-Bear, he wasn't mad at you, baby, I promise" she whispered gently, stroking her daughter's cheek. Bailey pouted slightly, and she sighed as she rested her head on Claudia's shoulder again. Within minutes her breathing steadied and her head lolled; a child in the depths of exhausted sleep. Only when Claudia was sure that Bailey was out for the count did she give in to her own emotions, and she let herself start to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve shot to his feet as the front door to his house creaked open later that evening and Claudia appeared, a sleeping Bailey in her arms. She threw her keys on the side table in the hallway and kicked off her shoes in the practiced manner of a mother with a small child.

"Claudia," Steve begged, his features etched with pain. Claudia shot him a withering glare.

"I'm putting Bailey to bed," she whispered, but there was anger and unhappiness evident in her tone. "You can wait until I'm done."

Steve watched his partner ascend the staircase and blew out a frustrated breath. He busied himself pouring glasses of wine and putting some food together. Claudia reappeared in the doorway of the family room as Steve was placing a plate of crackers and cheese on the coffee table.

"I thought you might be hungry," Steve said by way of explanation when Claudia shot him a questioning look. Narrowing her eyes, Claudia stepped into the room towards Steve.

"Claudia," Steve whispered, just as Claudia pulled her arm back and punched Steve in the chest.

"What is your problem, Steve?" she hissed angrily, punching him again. Steve tried to retreat, but Claudia followed him step for step until he was pinned against the wall. Claudia balled Steve's shirt up in her fists.

"I am so mad at you right now that I can barely think straight," she growled. "What the hell happened to you today?"

Steve's face crumpled, and Claudia took a tentative step back.

"Steve?"

"Claud, honey, I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I ruined your day. I never meant for that to happen."

Claudia swallowed hard, her battling emotions plastered all over her face.

"I know you didn't," she murmured. "You're my BFF; you'd never do something like that on purpose. But you lost it today, and I don't understand why."

Steve indicated the couch.

"Can we sit?"

Claudia nodded slowly, and the pair sat, Claudia inching herself closer to Steve until they were only millimetres apart. Steve glanced at Claudia.

"Hey," he murmured, and Claudia bumped him with her shoulder.

"Speak, Poopypants," she instructed gently. "Something got your panties in a twist today."

Steve exhaled and hung his head.

"Bailey," he whispered his child's name sadly. "I don't want her to be Caretaker."

"That, I gathered," Claudia told him snarkily. "I want to know why."

"She's just a little girl," Steve stressed. "She's got her whole life in front of her. I want something more for her than..."

"More than the life her mother currently has?" Claudia cut in bluntly, and Steve winced.

"Claud, I know how bad this sounds," he said. "You know that I love you, and that I respect you and your choices. But I don't want Bailey to grow up thinking that her only choice in life is the Warehouse. She's a brilliant little girl; she could do whatever she wants. I'm just worried that if she's told that she's the future Caretaker, she won't look anywhere else."

"Steve, being a Caretaker isn't a life sentence," Claudia said. "And I'm seriously trying not to be pissed off by the fact that you're making out that my job isn't good enough for our daughter."

Steve screwed up his face and slumped back on the couch. Claudia pivoted so she could face him.

"I'm actually surprised that it never occurred to you that this could happen," she commented, and Steve squinted at her. Claudia rolled her eyes.

"C'mon Steve. Bailey was made by the Warehouse," she said to her partner. "She's the child of a Caretaker and a senior agent. Bailey's got more of a link to the system that you and I will ever have."

Steve's head shot up.

"What is it with your persistence for normalcy anyway?" Claudia continued, missing the dumbfounded expression that was crossing Steve's face. "I mean, has the Warehouse ever not been awesome? Well, I know there was that whole 'dead' thing, but as a whole..."

"You need to have another baby," Steve said firmly, interrupting Claudia's spiel. Claudia let out a laugh.

"Yeah, ok Steve, I'll get right on that," she said sarcastically, but her face slackened as she took in Steve's earnest expression.

"Oh my dear God, you're serious!"

"Another baby lessens Bailey's tie to the Warehouse," Steve enthused, his eyes following Claudia as she leapt to her feet and started pacing the room. "The other child would also have less of a link."

"Dude, there are some major flaws in your theory," Claudia shot at him.

"Come on, Claud!" Steve cried, getting to his feet. "You have to admit, I'm not completely off point here."

"What do you want me to do, Steve?" Claudia asked, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Do you want me to stand in front of those artifacts again? Because there is no guarantee that what happened with Bailey will happen a second time."

"No, that's way too risky," Steve conceded, walking around the coffee table to stand next to Claudia. Claudia raised her eyebrows at him.

"What then, IVF?" she snapped. "Because explaining that to the Regents would be a total riot. Like 'Hey guys, I need some time off so that I can get knocked up with a turkey baster!'"

Steve was smirking, and Claudia glared at him.

"What now?"

"You're considering this," Steve grinned triumphantly. Claudia's mouth dropped open.

"Uh, no!" she denied strenuously, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm pointing out to you how stupid your idea is."

"By giving me examples of ways you could possibly carry out my idea," Steve smirked. Claudia stared him down for a moment, and then blew out loud breath of frustration.

"I never wanted Bailey to be an only child," she confessed, rolling her eyes at Steve's excited smile. "This doesn't mean I'm considering your suggestion, Steve."

Steve cupped Claudia's face in his hands. Claudia swallowed hard as she stared into Steve's endlessly blue eyes.

"You want another baby," Steve murmured teasingly, and Claudia punched him again to try and wipe the smugness off his face.

"Yeah, ok, I want another baby," she admitted in defeat as Steve let out a soft groan from the impact of the punch. "Come on, Steve. I spent half of my pregnancy with Bailey trying to figure out how to get rid of her, and the rest freaking out that she wasn't going to be healthy. I never got to enjoy it. Honestly, I kind of feel like I got ripped off." She leaned her cheek into Steve's hand and sighed.

"I can't even believe we're having this conversation," she murmured. "What I want, what you want, it's just not possible."

"There is one way you haven't mentioned," Steve said hesitantly. Claudia blinked at him, and then eased herself out of his hold.

"There is a large fundamental hole in that proposal, Steve," she said, her voice wavering. "You're gay."

Steve stared her down.

"Claudia, anything is possible," he stated. "I know you've noticed that my body still has natural reactions to yours when we're together."

Claudia went scarlet.

"Well, yeah," she murmured uncomfortably, avoiding Steve's gaze. "That's something we file in the 'things we never mention' box."

Steve bit his lip.

"Claud, I love you," he said gently. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. We already have a beautiful child. We can make another one."

Claudia was breathing shallowly. She looked up and fixed Steve with her gaze.

"You have gone completely crazy," she said with a quiet steadiness. "Absolutely insane."

Steve gave her a questioning look.

"Claudia?"

"Let's make another baby," Claudia whispered, a blush forming on her cheeks as her lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. Steve blinked at her for a moment, and then her words suddenly registered. He stepped forward and swept her into his arms, swinging her around in a tight circle.

"Really?" Steve asked, cupping Claudia's face again. "You really mean it?"

"Yeah," Claudia whispered shyly. Steve gazed at her for a moment, and then took Claudia by surprise when he drew her face forward and pressed his lips to hers. Claudia's heart soared as the culmination of years of daydreaming suddenly became reality. She pressed forward and kissed Steve back hungrily, drinking him in, and she was so lost in the moment that she almost didn't realise that Steve's hands were working their way under her shirt and creeping higher. Gasping for breath, Claudia broke away from Steve's embrace and stumbled backwards, tugging the hem of her shirt down.

"What are you doing?" she gasped. Steve looked baffled.

"I just thought..." he trailed off. Claudia's mouth dropped open.

"Oh my God, you want to do this now?" she hissed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Oh my God, you are actually insane!"

"But you just said you wanted to!" Steve protested.

"Not right this second!" Claudia shot at him incredulously. "You didn't seriously think..." She trailed off at the wounded look on Steve's face.

"Oh jeez, Steve, no wonder you never got laid in high school," she quipped, pacing back and forth to try and calm her jangled nerves.

"Hey!" Steve protested.

"Bailey is upstairs," Claudia pointed out to him. "She could wake up at any time. I don't know about you, but I'm not quite ready to have that talk with her just yet."

A sheepish look crossed Steve's features.

"Also, you took biology in school, right?" Claudia continued, and Steve nodded. Claudia looked uncomfortable.

"You'll know then, that there are certain times of the month that, you know, making a baby doesn't, um, happen," she mumbled, staring at the floor. Now it was Steve's turn to turn scarlet.

"God Claud, I'm sorry," he whispered awkwardly. "I just got caught up in the moment and..."

"And thirdly," Claudia cut him off and walked straight up to him, poking a finger against his chest. "I deserve a little romance, don't you think? You can't just turn to me and say 'hey Claud, I want to put a baby in your uterus' and expect me to just take off my clothes and let you have at it!"

Steve's eyes were wide with surprise and slight terror, but at Claudia's last line, his mouth started to twitch, like he was fighting a smirk. Claudia caught the motion, and she stared him down for a moment, her breathing shallow, before her face softened and her cheeks flushed.

"Oh my God, what have you done to me?" she whispered. "This is like an 8.5 on the scale of mortifying moments in my life."

Steve reached up and gently used a finger to push Claudia's bangs out of her eyes. Claudia looked up at him, uncertainty evident in her liquid chocolate eyes.

"Jinksy," she murmured unhappily.

"Hey, it's ok," Steve soothed. "We're ok. And we can still make this happen."

Claudia blinked at him.

"We can?" she asked cautiously. Steve swallowed hard.

"Yeah," he answered softly, a gentle smile crossing his face. "In a couple of weeks. We can take care of all of the issues you just brought up, and, you know..."

The corners of Claudia's mouth curled upwards.

"I want candles," she whispered. "Scented candles. And rose petals."

Steve chuckled as the tension in the room slowly started to fade, and he leaned forward to press a kiss to Claudia's forehead.

"Duly noted," he told her, and Claudia bit her lip as she eased herself away from his hold. She let out a soft sigh.

"I'm beat," she told Steve with an awkward smile. "I think I'm gonna go to bed."

Steve nodded.

"Good night, Claud," he said gently. "Love you."

"Love you too," Claudia said back, giving Steve one last half-grin before she turned and left the room. She hurried up the stairs, and after quickly checking that Bailey was still sleeping soundly, she slipped into her bedroom and softly flicked the lock closed seconds before she started to hyperventilate. Sliding to the floor, Claudia pulled her knees to her chest and fought to calm her breathing, rocking gently back and forth as her mind reeled with the overwhelming flood of emotions the day had thrown at her. She desperately needed a friend to bounce her thoughts and feelings off, and that was hard to do when that person was normally Steve. In the past couple of years Claudia had wished for Myka and her level-headed thinking several times, but none more than right at that moment. Claudia took a shuddering breath and stared down at her stomach. Tentatively she flexed her hand over the flat expanse, and allowed herself to imagine the swell of a child beneath her fingers. She knew it was lunacy, at least that was what her head told her, but her heart... her heart was positively jumping for joy at the way Steve had kissed her. Groaning softly, Claudia pushed herself to her feet and crawled into her bed, pulled the covers over her head and willed herself to fall asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So originally I thought this was going to get a lot more 'M' rated than it did. I'm keeping the rating at 'T', and putting this warning in here that this chapter is full of adult themes and partial nudity and the sparse curse word. And if anyone does take offense to any of that, please contact me and I will change the rating. I'm all about keeping people happy :)**

* * *

Emma Jinks had been over the moon when her son had called and asked if she could take Bailey for a few days, but now that she was trying to leave with her granddaughter, Steve seemed to be having some trouble letting go.

"She had a little bit of a sniffle this morning, so you should probably watch her temperature," Steve told his mother, squatting down so that he could straighten the backpack on Bailey's shoulders. Bailey raised an eyebrow at him.

"Steven," Emma said her son's name gently. Steve looked up at his mother.

"All of her meds are in her bag," he continued. "We haven't had a seizure for a couple of months, but if it happens, you have the number for her doctor, and the hospital, and..."

"Steven," Emma's tone was more forceful this time. Steve rose to full height again, and Emma bent down to hitch Bailey into her arms.

"I've raised children before," Emma said with a teasing smile, kissing Bailey's cheek. "I think you'll agree that I did a pretty good job of it."

Steve looked sheepish. He reached out to stroke Bailey's hair. Bailey's crystal blue eyes searched his face.

"Bailey and I are going to have a great time together, aren't we sweetheart?" Emma beamed, and Bailey nodded enthusiastically.

"Bye Daddy," she said with a grin. Steve smirked and shook his head. He gave his mother one last unsure look, and Emma shot him a calming smile.

"We'll be fine, Steven," she told him. "You and Claudia take care of your work issue, and call me when you're done, ok?"

Steve tried to control the heat that rose in his cheeks as he leaned forward and kissed first his mother on the cheek, and then Bailey. Emma winked at him and then turned and carried her granddaughter out the front door. Steve watched them for a moment before swinging the door shut. At the sound of the lock catching, Claudia stuck her head over the banister of the staircase.

"Are they gone?" she asked hopefully. Steve looked up at her upside down face and nodded. He'd barely seen Claudia all day. She'd been at the Warehouse when he woke up that morning, and had only come back with enough time to get Bailey ready before Emma had arrived. If Steve didn't know any better, he'd think she was avoiding him. Even just the eye contact between them at that moment was causing her cheeks to flush.

"Ok," Claudia said with a shy smile. "I'll, um, see you soon?"

"Yeah," Steve murmured, trying to make his return smile reassuring. Claudia disappeared from his view, and Steve chewed on his lower lip as he listened to her footsteps retreat towards her bedroom. He exhaled loudly as he heard Claudia's bedroom door close. Steve knew Claudia was nervous, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't as well, but he knew it was going to have to be up to him to put Claudia at ease. After doing a quick sweep to tidy up the downstairs area, Steve took the stairs two at a time, noting that he could now hear Claudia's shower running. Steve entered his own bedroom and pulled the door closed. His own good habits meant the room was already neat and tidy; the bed was freshly made with clean sheets, and the floor was clear of dirty clothes and shoes. Steve took a quick shower, taking the time to groom himself to an acceptable standard, and finished by applying the cologne Claudia had brought him a few years before. After pulling on his favourite cotton pyjama pants over a fresh pair of boxer briefs, Steve reached into his closet and retrieved the bag of supplies he'd purchased earlier in the week. He'd opted for silk rose petals over fresh flowers, figuring they looked just as pretty without the chance of wilting. Scattering them on the bed seemed to be an invitation for petals ending up in places they really didn't need to be, so Steve settled for trailing them on the floor and across the furniture. The petals on the furniture were joined by a collection of votive candles in a range of complimenting scents. Steve smiled softly to himself as he lit the last candle, and took in the effect the flickering flames cast on the room. It was all awfully romantic, and he hoped Claudia would appreciate it. After quickly ducking back down the stairs to retrieve an ice bucket from the kitchen, Steve had just set a selection of soft background music to play and was contemplating putting on a shirt when a hesitant knock sounded at his door. Steve's heartbeat suddenly sped up considerably, and he swallowed nervously as he stepped forward to answer the knock. Claudia's cheeks instantly reddened as Steve drew in a sharp intake of breath when his eyes locked on the short silk dressing gown the redhead was wrapped in. Claudia's long and shapely legs rarely got put on display, and Steve was momentarily mesmerised by their appearance.

"Hey," Claudia drew out the word several syllables, and that was when Steve realised that there was a half empty bottle of wine clasped in her hand. Claudia smiled coquettishly at Steve as she padded past him into the room. Steve closed the door behind her and leaned back against it as he watched her take in his handiwork. Claudia looked over at him in awe, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling.

"You got rose petals," she observed softly, a smile twitching on her lips.

"And candles," Steve grinned. "And champagne too. Though I can see we won't be needing that." He walked over and took the wine bottle from Claudia's hand, glancing at the label quickly before taking a swig. Claudia gave him her most innocent look.

"Liquid courage?" she offered, and Steve smirked as he placed the bottle on his dresser. He reached out and tucked Claudia's hair behind her ear.

"You look beautiful," Steve murmured gruffly. Claudia swallowed hard and placed a hand on Steve's chest, using a finger to trace the tattooed letters of her name.

"Jinksy, I really need to tell you something before we do this," she murmured, and Steve's brow furrowed. Claudia sighed and trained her eyes on Steve's chest.

"Steve, you're my whole world," she said softly. "I could spend a thousand years looking and never find anyone who fits with me the way you do."

She bit her lower lip as Steve used his fingers to tilt her chin upwards so that her eyes met his.

"Claud," Steve murmured her name in that familiar tone that made butterflies dance in her stomach.

"Steve, I love you," Claudia told him, her heart racing at the sudden confession.

"Claudia, honey, I love you too," Steve said gently, and Claudia screwed up her face in frustration.

"I don't think you're hearing me," she said more forcefully. "I'm in love with you, Jinksy."

Steve's facial expression never changed. He ran a thumb gently over Claudia's cheekbone.

"Sweetheart, I know," he whispered. The pair stared each other down, matching each other quickened breath for quickened breath. Eventually Claudia blinked.

"Well, as long as you know," she quipped, wrapping a hand around the back of Steve's neck and pulling his face to hers. This time their kisses were tentative, chaste and soft, their lips barely grazing. Claudia pressed herself against Steve, urging the kissing between them to grow in passion. Steve hesitantly removed his hand from Claudia's face, sliding it slowly down her side and eventually resting it on her lower back. Claudia reached for his other hand and guided it to the tied belt of her robe. Steve took the hint and tugged on the bow, releasing the knot and causing the robe to fall open. Reluctantly, Claudia stepped away from Steve's hold so that he could see what the open robe revealed. A soft gasp escaped Steve's lips as his pupils dilated.

"Sweet Buddha," he half-growled. Claudia suddenly looked panicked.

"Too much?" she asked cautiously. Claudia had carefully selected the lacy black lingerie set due to what she considered its subtle sexiness, rather than picking out something that looked like it belonged to a teenage stripper. She'd felt beautiful and confident when she'd put it on, but now Steve was staring at her with his mouth half-open and it was making her want to cover herself up and run from the room. Claudia squeaked in surprise when Steve suddenly stepped forward and in one fluid motion pushed her robe to the floor, slid his hands down her back, cupped his hands around her thighs and lifted her so that Claudia had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist to hold herself up.

"Remind me that I need to tell you how stunningly beautiful you are every single day," Steve murmured huskily as Claudia gently rested her hands on his shoulders. Claudia turned scarlet, but before she had the chance to make a witty comeback remark, Steve's lips claimed hers again, more forceful and passionate than before. Digging her fingernails into Steve's shoulders seemed like a natural reaction to Claudia. Steve pivoted around and after kissing Claudia one last time, lowered her gently onto the bed. Claudia took the opportunity to slide backwards towards the head of the bed, giving Steve what she hoped were her best come-hither eyes. Steve crawled up the bed to meet her, sliding his hand up her leg as he drew himself up to her eye level again. Claudia gave him a shy smile as she cupped his face gently in her hands.

"You smell really good," she whispered. Steve's lips twitched at the corners as he tried not to smile proudly. Rolling her eyes, Claudia leaned back onto the pillows and pulled Steve's face to hers, gently kissing both of his cheeks and his nose before bringing their lips together again. Tentatively she ran the tip of her tongue across Steve's lower lip, and Steve parted his lips at her silent request. Claudia let out a breathy sigh as she leaned into the kiss that followed. As their tongues did battle, Steve trailed his fingers up Claudia's abdomen until his fingertips rested on the skin directly beneath the underwire of her bra. When he seemed to hesitate, Claudia reluctantly tore her mouth away from Steve's.

"Is something wrong?" she questioned softly, looking into his eyes.

"You're shaking," Steve told her, concern evident across his face. Claudia opened her mouth to protest, and then realised that he was telling the truth.

"I think I just realised this isn't a dream," she whispered shyly. Steve's expression softened, and he swallowed hard as he used his thumb to stroke a soft circle on the skin near Claudia's sternum. Claudia's eyes flicked over Steve's facial features.

"What's wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

"Claudia, have you done this before?" Steve asked gently. Claudia cocked an eyebrow.

"Gee, Steve, one would hope that at least one of us would remember that," she quipped, and Steve huffed out a breath.

"Can you not sass me for just once in your life?" he grunted, and Claudia smirked.

"You love it," she teased, and then pouted when Steve gave her a put-on look.

"You're no fun."

"Claud," Steve pressed, and Claudia sighed.

"Yes, I've done this before," she told him reluctantly. "I slept with Fargo, that time I went to Eureka."

Steve looked like he was waiting for her to give up more information, and panic crossed his face when he realised her list had started and ended with that one name.

"That's it?" he squeaked, and this time it was Claudia who got to look miffed.

"Jinksy, you have been by my side pretty much every day for the past fifteen years," she said flatly. "When exactly did I have time to meet a guy, let alone have sex with one?"

"Jeez, Claud," Steve breathed out, taking his hands off of her body and leaning back so that he rested on his knees. Claudia pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"Steve, this isn't a problem," she stated gently, and Steve screwed up his face.

"I don't want to ruin this for you," he confessed. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

Claudia reached for Steve's hand.

"Hey, don't you freak out on me," she scolded. "Come back to me."

"You deserve better than this," Steve murmured. Claudia laced her fingers through Steve's and tugged him towards her again.

"This is all I've ever wanted," she whispered, using her free hand to stroke his cheek. "Nothing could be better than this."

The pair sat in silence for a moment, breathing patterns matched, eyes locked on each other. Claudia licked her lips nervously, and Steve took the subtle motion as an invitation for action. He lunged forward, pinning Claudia to the bed, causing her to gasp in surprise. Steve's kisses were aggressive and hungry, and he impulsively nipped at Claudia's lower lip with his teeth. When Claudia responded with a moan of pleasure, he bit her again. A secondary moan encouraged another bite, but this time Steve tasted blood. He drew back in horror. Amusement sparkled in Claudia's eyes as she touched a finger to her split lip.

"Shit, Claud, I'm sorry," Steve gasped out hurriedly. Claudia responded by pouncing forward and pinning Steve onto his back. She leaned down and took Steve's lower lip gently between her teeth. Steve looked up at her in wide-eyed surprise. Claudia dropped his lip and smirked. Her own lip was still bleeding lightly.

"You're so bad ass," she teased wickedly. Steve responded by burying his hand in her hair and pulling her to him again. As they kissed, Claudia trailed her hands down Steve's chest and abdomen until her fingers hit the waistband of Steve's pyjama pants. Steve inhaled sharply as Claudia tentatively inched her fingertips under the elastic band, tracing the top edge of his underwear. Claudia hesitated for a moment before she grabbed hold of Steve's cotton pants and tugged them downwards. She let out a goofy laugh as they tangled around Steve's knees and she had to retreat down the bed as she fought to free them. Steve chuckled in reply as he kicked out an ankle in an attempt to help. Claudia finally managed to pull the pants free and she tossed them to the floor triumphantly before crawling back up the bed to straddle Steve's waist. She blushed as Steve rested his hands on her hips.

"For grown adults, we're really not great at this, are we?" she asked ruefully. Steve grinned back at her as his fingers danced on her hipbone.

"The view from down here is pretty great," he said huskily, looking up at her with hooded eyes. Claudia couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she placed her palms on Steve's chest.

"Come down here," Steve whispered, tilting his chin upward beckoningly.

"So bossy," Claudia teased, leaning forward to accept his offered kiss. As they continued to share gentle kisses, Steve worked his hands slowly up Claudia's back until his fingers reached the clasp of Claudia's bra. Claudia couldn't help but giggle against Steve's lips when after a few minutes of his clumsy wrestling her bra stayed firmly hooked.

"God Steve, how long has it been since you slept with a woman?" she laughed, sitting up so that she could reach behind herself to assist him. Steve curled his lip in disgust at her teasing, but his eyes suddenly darked with lust as Claudia's lingerie slid off her shoulders. As Claudia discarded her clothing, she felt Steve's arousal stir beneath her. Her heart started to race as she fought to stop herself from covering up her sudden nakedness. She was trembling again.

"You're so beautiful," Steve whispered to her. When he lifted his own hand, it was clear he was also shaking. Claudia trained her eyes on Steve's, and she gasped involuntarily when Steve's hand softly cupped her breast.

"Steve," she whimpered in pleasure as he started to slowly work her breast in his palm. Gasping again, she let her head loll backwards as Steve tweaked and kneaded at some of the most sensitive areas of her body. Eyes closed as she started to let herself get lost in the moment, Claudia flung out a hand to steady herself, and she connected hard with a part of Steve's body. Steve's groan was not one of pleasure, but instead pain, and he hastily withdrew his hands from Claudia's chest. Claudia's eyes flew open, and she found herself looking at Steve nursing the side of his face with his hand.

"Oh sweet Jesus, did I just punch you in the face?" she gasped. Steve moaned softly as he nodded. Claudia squeezed her eyes closed in embarrassment.

"This isn't happening," she whimpered, clearly horrified.

"Claud, don't panic," Steve soothed, reaching up to pull her to him. He started kissing at her neck and collarbone, and Claudia began to run her fingers slowly up and down his arms, willing her breathing to regulate. As she inhaled the spice of Steve's cologne, her senses registered another scent permeating the room. Her head shot up, and she let out a squeal at what she saw.

"Fire!" she shrieked, breaking away from Steve's hold and scrambling towards the windowsill where flames from a candle were licking at a curtain that had wafted inwards from the slightly open window. She barely registered the yelp Steve emitted at her sudden movement. Grabbing the ice bucket from Steve's table, she quickly removed the champagne bottle before upending the ice water over the windowsill, dousing both the burning curtain and several candles. Breathing heavily, she swung around to face Steve again.

"Holy crap, that was close!" she cried, but the rest of her thoughts trailed off when she realised that Steve was curled up in the foetal position, his hands cupped around his crotch.

"Steve?" she asked cautiously, taking a step forward. "Oh God, please tell me I didn't kick you in the balls!"

Steve looked over at her and squeaked pathetically before curling up again. The ice bucket made a low thunking noise as it fell from Claudia's hands to the floor. Claudia wrapped her arms around herself as her brain fought to register the situation at hand. Suddenly the absurdity of the whole evening washed over her, and she started to tremble. A squeak of laughter escaped her lips, soon followed by another, and before she knew it, she was laughing hysterically, and she wasn't sure if she was ever going to be able to stop.

* * *

 **Again, my lovelies, if anyone has any issues, you know where to find me.**


	5. Chapter 5

When the pair had finally managed to somewhat calm themselves, they built a nest of pillows and blankets on the floor at the foot of Steve's bed. While Steve retrieved his pyjama pants and a clean Henley, Claudia wrapped herself tightly in the bedsheet and buried herself in the pillows. She had already cracked open the champagne by the time Steve returned from the kitchen with an ice pack in hand. He sank down beside Claudia and tentatively touched the ice pack to the bruise forming under his right eye. Claudia shot him a dirty look when he let out a muffled moan.

"Don't be such a drama queen," she quipped, taking a swig from the champagne bottle and then wincing when the bubbles tingled against her split lip. Still holding the ice pack to his face, Steve reached over and took the bottle from Claudia.

"You smacked me in the face," he stated darkly, giving her a put-on look as he took a swallow of champagne. "And kicked me in the crotch. Forgive me for thinking that warrants some dramatics."

"You bit me!" Claudia shot back, her lips twitching as she fought back another laugh. Steve grunted and rested his head back on the bed, but his facial expression softened.

"If anyone ever finds out about this..." Claudia mumbled in embarrassment, picking at the polish on her thumbnail. "Could we seriously have been more of a mess?"

"Worst grown-ups ever," Steve agreed, tilting his head to the side so he could see Claudia's face. Claudia's cheeks flamed as her eyes locked on his ice-blues.

"Once a giant freakazoid, always a giant freakazoid," she quipped, reaching for the champagne bottle again. Steve let her take the bottle, but he caught her wrist.

"You're not a freakazoid," he whispered gently.

"I'm a 35 year old woman who can't even manage to get completely naked with the most gorgeous man she knows," Claudia stated, bringing the bottle to her lips and then wincing again.

"Better than a 40 year old man who can't work a bra clasp," Steve grunted, and Claudia snorted as she tried to hold back her laughter. Steve rolled his eyes as he chuckled reluctantly. The pair sighed in unison and then sat in silence for a while, passing the champagne bottle back and forth between them.

"We're going to need more alcohol," Claudia commented. Steve got down on his hands and knees and stuck his head under the bed for a moment before emerging with a bottle of bourbon. Claudia didn't even question why he was hoarding alcohol under his bed, just took the bottle and cracked the seal.

"Hey Claud?" Steve enquired gently. Claudia looked over at him with the bourbon inches from her lips. Steve smirked.

"You're an excellent kisser," he murmured. Claudia stared at him in shock for a moment before screwing her nose up in disgust and swinging a lazy punch at Steve's arm. Steve caught her fist before it connected, but he didn't let go, just brought her hand to his lips so that he could kiss her knuckles softly. He gave her a forlorn look.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, and Claudia bit her lip.

"Steve," she breathed out softly, and Steve stroked her knuckles with his thumb.

"I'm sorry this wasn't everything you dreamed it would be," he said to her, and Claudia's face crumpled.

"I'm sorry too," she whispered thickly. "I'm sorry that I can't give you what you want. I'm sorry that I'm a Caretaker. I'm sorry that me being a Caretaker means that Bailey's next in line. I'm sorry that..."

"Whoa, whoa," Steve soothed, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her. Claudia hiccupped like she was trying not to cry.

"You have given me everything, Claudia Donovan," he stated, resting his chin on the crown of her head. Claudia let out a shuddering breath.

"You have given me love without question," Steve continued, tracing Claudia's collarbone lightly with his finger. "You've given me a home, and a family. You gave me our beautiful child."

"But you wanted another one," Claudia whispered forlornly.

"And that's why I love you more than anyone in the world," Steve told her. "I asked you for something so ridiculously selfish and you still did everything you could to try and make that happen."

"I wasn't exactly being selfless," Claudia admitted softly, and Steve grunted his acknowledgement, but didn't press the issue any further. Claudia sighed and reluctantly eased herself out of Steve's embrace. She waved the bottle of bourbon under his nose.

"How much booze is it going to take for you to forget that I told you I loved you?" she asked, a pleading look in her eyes. Steve took the bottle from her as he shook his head.

"I could never forget something I've always known," he told her gently. Claudia let out a defeated moan and let her head fall back against the bed. Steve tapped his knuckles lightly against her shoulder.

"It is an honour to be loved by you, Claudia Donovan," he said sincerely. Claudia sighed softly and tucked the sheet she was wrapped in more tightly around her.

"I'm officially scoring this evening a 9.5 on the mortification scale," she quipped, and Steve raised an eyebrow as he swigged from the bourbon bottle.

"Not a 10?" he enquired, and Claudia smiled coyly.

"Half a point off for you being an excellent kisser," she teased, and Steve chuckled as a blush crept over his cheeks. Claudia slowly inched her hand across the pile of pillows until she could entwine her fingers with Steve's. Steve gave her hand a squeeze in reply.

"When Bailey gets home, I'm buying her candy," Claudia stated. "A mountain of candy. So much candy she'll think it's her birthday and Christmas all at the same time."

"I think she'd really like a bike," Steve commented. "She's old enough to learn to ride."

"What she really wants is a Tesla," Claudia told him, shooting him a glance. Steve let go of her hand and sat bolt upright.

"You are not giving her a Tesla!" he cried, and Claudia smirked as she rolled her eyes.

"Relax, Poopypants, I'm not going to give her a Tesla," she snarked, and Steve stared her down for a moment before letting out a yelp.

"You're lying!" he accused, and Claudia stared defiantly over his shoulder as she brought the bourbon bottle to her lips. Steve pursed his lips.

"We need to buy new curtains tomorrow," Claudia commented, ignoring Steve's dirty look.

"Claudia," Steve growled warningly, and Claudia pushed the bourbon back into his hands.

"Relax," she told him again. "And drink more. You're too sober if your lie detector is still working."

Steve was still glaring at her. Claudia impulsively leaned forward and kissed him one last time.

"What was that for?" Steve asked, his lips twitching slightly.

"Because I'm about to get you so drunk you won't remember it," Claudia quipped. Steve pushed himself to his feet, and Claudia looked up at him.

"Where are you going?" she asked in confusion.

"There's tequila downstairs," Steve told her, and Claudia's concern melted into elation.

"My hero," she swooned teasingly, and Steve winked at her before disappearing from the room. Claudia leaned her head against the bed and sighed softly. No amount of alcohol would ever let her forget how she'd felt when Steve's lips were on hers, and she wasn't sure if her heart would ever fully stop aching. He loved her though, that much she knew to be true, and the dedication he had to their daughter was undeniable. Claudia supposed that in the grand scheme of things, she could be stuck with so much worse. She smiled to herself as she heard Steve's footsteps ascending the staircase, and she realised that she was already a lot drunker than she originally thought. She was going to have a very sore head in the morning, but at least she knew that she could count on Steve to be there every step of the way.

* * *

Claudia was snoring. She'd fallen asleep in the manner of the extremely intoxicated; one arm stretched above her head, and her mouth half-open. Steve lay stretched out beside her, watching as her chest rose and fell under the Henley he'd wrestled her into before they'd polished off half a bottle of tequila. He was riding on an extreme alcohol buzz, in fact, he was fairly certain that his own comatose state was in the very near future. Steve lifted a hand and used a finger to push Claudia's bangs off her forehead. Even passed out and drooling, Steve couldn't deny the overwhelming affection he had for his best friend. Claudia claimed that Steve was her whole world, but Steve wondered if she knew just how much he needed her. His stomach lurched a little as he thought of Bailey, and what the future held for her now that their experiment had failed. He guessed he'd have to accept it at some point or another, but that didn't mean that he couldn't do everything in his power to give her as normal a childhood as possible. Claudia snorted and whimpered a little in her sleep. Smiling sadly, Steve leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek before curling himself around her sleeping form. He suspected that after tonight, sleeping in each other's beds would be out of the question for a while, even though they'd both deny the change. They'd also never mention it again, but Steve knew one thing for certain, he would never forget the night they'd just had. It was these moments that Steve saved as a reminder of all the reasons why he'd chosen Claudia to be his other half. Steve kissed Claudia's shoulder as he closed his eyes and breathed in her familiar scent. They'd be together forever, a Caretaker and an agent of the Warehouse, no matter what life threw at them, and Steve knew deep down in his heart that he wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
